BLOOMINGTON, ILL.—The Carthage College women's basketball team entered Saturday's CCIW opener with a four-game drought against #13 Illinois Wesleyan University, whom they squared-off against in Bloomington, Illinois on Saturday evening. The Titan's depth stood the test as their bench accumulated 40 points, led by Kendall Sosa's game-high 27 points en route to an 81-75 victory over the Lady Reds in front of 350 spectators at the Shirk Center.
 
Four Carthage players eclipsed double figure scoring for the third time this season, led by Madie Kaelber's 19 points off a 7-of-12 mark from the field. Bailey Gilbert, who chipped in 15 points and a team-leading seven boards for the Lady Reds, tacked on two more three-point baskets to her resume. Sammie Woodward tallied 11 points while Maggie Berigan eclipsed double-figures for the third-straight contest with 11 points and a game-high three blocks.
 
Carthage surrendered a season-high 17 offensive boards to the Titans, which resulted in 15 points.
 
The Lady Reds fall to 3-2, 0-1 CCIW while Illinois Wesleyan ups their record to 5-2, 1-0 CCIW.
 
#13 Illinois Wesleyan 85, Lady Reds 71
 
Sammie Woodward set the tone with a three-pointer that gave Carthage a 3-0 lead at the 9:18 mark of the first quarter, their lone advantage of the game. The Titans utilized their depth throughout the opening 10:00 as eight players contributed points, which powered them to a 25-14 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
Carthage returned the favor in the second quarter as six of their players scored, but Sosa's 10 points in the frame for the Titans helped them maintain a 42-30 edge at halftime. Illinois Wesleyan's lead grew to 20 with a 61-41 edge at the 2:35 mark of the third quarter before Carthage began to close the gap in the latter part of the frame.
 
Bailey Gilbert ignited a Carthage 18-4 run with a three-pointer with 2:21 left in the third, and Madie Kaelber ended it with a three-pointer of her own to cut Illinois Wesleyan's lead to six at 65-59 with 6:29 left in the fourth quarter. Gilbert cut the deficit to six one more time with a three-pointer at the 4:05 mark of the fourth to make the score 70-64, but Carthage couldn't dig deeper in an 81-75 loss.
 
The Lady Reds will face Wheaton College (Ill.) at the King Arena in Wheaton, Illinois on Wednesday, December 5 at 7:00 p.m.